Pirates Place Ryan O’Hearn On 10-Day Injured List
The Pirates announced that first baseman/right fielder Ryan O’Hearn has been placed on the 10-day injured list due to a right quad strain. Outfielder Jake Mangum was activated from the 10-day IL in the corresponding move, and Mangum will take O’Hearn’s spot on the 26-man roster.
O’Hearn’s injury occurred in yesterday’s 6-0 Pirates loss to the Phillies. While playing first base in the top of the second inning, O’Hearn made a bit of an awkward move to avoid batter Alec Bohm on the baseline while chasing a pop-up in foul territory. O’Hearn completed the play, but then “every time I tried to do more than a walk or a slow jog, it just felt like my leg was grabbing on me,” as he told Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and other reporters. Jared Triolo replaced O’Hearn at first base prior to the top of the fourth inning.
An MRI was arranged for O’Hearn yesterday, and the tests revealed a strain serious enough to require an immediate placement on the IL. The Pirates don’t play on Monday, so while the team could perhaps have given O’Hearn a couple of days to rest before making a decision, the club has opted to start the clock on the IL stint right away.
The injury is a tough setback for both O’Hearn and the Pirates as a whole, as the veteran has been tremendous in his first season in Pittsburgh. O’Hearn signed a two-year free agent contract worth $29MM in guaranteed money, and he has thus far more than lived up to his end of the deal by hitting .289/.368/.459 with seven home runs in 182 plate appearances. O’Hearn has a 132 wRC+, which would be a career best for the 32-year-old if he managed to keep it up over the full season.
O’Hearn has primarily played right field for the Buccos, though he has often been shifted over to first base late in games. Now that Mangum is back from a minimal 10-day IL stint due to a hamstring strain, he should help fill the void in right field. Triolo, Nick Yorke, and Billy Cook could all get some time in right field while O’Hearn is out, with that same trio also candidates for part-time first base duty. Down at Triple-A, Jhostynxon Garcia is still waiting on his first MLB call-up since joining the Pirates last winter, but “the Password” hasn’t been hitting well.
Cubs Select Ty Blach
The Cubs have selected the contract of left-hander Ty Blach from Triple-A Iowa. In the corresponding moves for the 26-man and 40-man rosters, right-hander Javier Assad was optioned to Triple-A, and right-hander Hunter Harvey was shifted from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL.
More to come…
Tigers Activate Will Vest, Place Ty Madden On 15-Day IL
Brewers Promote Robert Gasser, Designate Peter Strzelecki
The Brewers announced that left-hander Robert Gasser has been called up from Triple-A, and will start today’s game against the Twins. Gasser was already on Milwaukee’s 40-man roster, but to create a 26-man spot, the Brewers designated right-hander Peter Strzelecki for assignment.
Strzelecki signed a minor league contract with the Brew Crew this past winter, and has a 4.12 ERA, 47.3% grounder rate, 24.7K%, and 4.9BB% over 19 2/3 innings for Triple-A Nashville. This work earned him a selection to the Brewers’ roster just yesterday, but he was only up for a cup of coffee before being DFA’ed. Since Strzelecki wasn’t used in Saturday’s game, his last official MLB appearance remains August 12, 2024, when the right-hander pitched for the Guardians.
A veteran of 77 games and 83 2/3 big league innings with the Brewers, Diamondbacks, and Guardians from 2022-24, Strzelecki spent 2025 in the minors with the Pirates and Rays before returning to the Brewers (his original team) this winter. If he clears waivers and is outrighted, Strzelecki can refuse that assignment in favor of free agency since he has a past outright in his career.
Coleman Crow was called up from Triple-A to make a spot start in Friday’s game, and now Gasser will also make his 2026 debut in a spot appearance today. The Brewers have been digging into their depth chart for some rotation help with Brandon Woodruff and Quinn Priester both on the IL, and even with these injury concerns, Milwaukee has just kept on winning due to its excellent pitching development system.
Gasser was a second-round pick in the 2021 draft, and he drew some top-100 prospect attention prior to his big league debut in 2024. His 2.67 ERA over 33 2/3 innings is impressive, though his secondary metrics over his brief MLB career have left a lot to be desired. Gasser missed most of the 2024-25 seasons recovering from Tommy John surgery, so his chief goal for 2026 may simply be to log some innings and rebuild his arm back up to the point that he can resume a full starter’s workload by 2027.
Reds Announce Five Roster Moves
The Reds made five moves prior to today’s game with the Guardians, including the placement of catcher Jose Trevino on the 10-day injured list. Trevino is dealing with a left hamstring injury, and he’ll be replaced on the active roster by catcher P.J. Higgins, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Louisville. To create room for Higgins on the 40-man roster, Cincinnati designated outfielder Rece Hinds for assignment. In two other moves to get a fresh arm into the bullpen, the Reds called up right-hander Jose Franco from Triple-A, and optioned righty Luis Mey.
This is already the second IL stint of the year for Trevino, who missed about three weeks in April due to a thoracic spine sprain. Trevino hasn’t contributed much when he has been able to play, delivering only a .143/.172/.179 slash line over 30 plate appearances. Though Trevino is far better known for his strong defense than his subpar hitting over his career, the combined lack of production from Trevino, Higgins, and starter Tyler Stephenson have resulted in a -0.1 bWAR from the Reds’ catching position this season.
Higgins had his minor league contract selected to the 26-man roster when Trevino was first sidelined in April, and Higgins posted a .450 OPS over 12 plate appearances while appearing in five games. Upon Trevino’s return, the Reds designated Higgins for assignment and then outrighted him to Triple-A, with Higgins opting to stay in the organization rather than reject the outright in favor of free agency.
That decision has now rather quickly led to another stint in the majors for Higgins, even if he’ll likely be DFA’ed against once Trevino is healthy. Higgins has signed minor league deals with the Reds in each of the last three offseasons, and his five games in April marked his first taste of MLB action since 2022, when he appeared in 74 games with the Cubs.
A second-round pick for the Reds in the 2019 draft, Hinds hit .261/.333/.717 with five homers in 51 plate appearances after making his MLB debut in 2024. Those early fireworks didn’t carry over, however, as Hinds hit only .118/.150/.250 over 80 PA (with 39 strikeouts) during the 2025-26 seasons.
The near-total lack of production at the big league level has now made Hinds expendable in Cincinnati’s view, though manager Terry Francona is still a supporter. “Maybe for his sake, I really hope he gets an opportunity he didn’t get here,” Francona told Charlie Goldsmith and other reporters today. “I love the kid. There are obviously tools there. Sometimes, things have a way of working out for guys.”
To Francona’s point about Hinds’ tools, Hinds has been crushing Triple-A pitching for the last two seasons, he has elite speed, and he has the ability to play all three outfield positions. Though Hinds’ Triple-A strikeout rate is still at 27.9%, he has greatly increased his walk total in Louisville. It seems quite possible that another team might be intrigued enough to claim Hinds off the waiver wire, but if he does clear waivers, he doesn’t have the ability to reject an outright assignment to Triple-A.
Blue Jays Place Tommy Nance On 15-Day IL, Recall Adam Macko
The Blue Jays announced that right-hander Tommy Nance has been placed on the 15-day injured list due to discomfort in his right forearm. Left-hander Adam Macko was called up from Triple-A in the corresponding 26-man roster move, and Macko is already on Toronto’s 40-man roster.
More to come…
Red Sox Place Trevor Story On 10-Day Injured List
TODAY: Story told the Boston Globe’s Tim Healey and other reporters that he has been dealing with lower-body discomfort since partway through Spring Training, and “it just kind of got to the point where we’ve got to call timeout here. Obviously, I haven’t been able to really move like myself.” Story is meeting with doctors to discuss his next step, and surgery is a consideration, which would keep him out for roughly 6-10 weeks.
MAY 16, 2:50PM: The Sox officially promoted Sogard and placed Story on the 10-day IL, with Story’s injury termed as a sports hernia. The placement is retroactive to May 15.
11:55AM: The Red Sox are placing Trevor Story on the 10-day injured list prior to tonight’s game with the Braves, MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith reports. Infielder Nick Sogard will be called up to replace Story on the active roster, as Tommy Cassell of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette first reported earlier today.
As noted by Smith and Chris Cotillo, Story has been dealing with a groin problem for a few weeks, dating back to Boston’s April 24-26 series with the Orioles. Story was given a few off-days in the interim to see if some added rest could fix the problem, but the decision has been made to give the veteran at least 10 days to fully recover.
It’s probably a wise move given Story’s long injury history, and because this IL stint might serve as an unofficial reset to what has been a rough season for the 33-year-old. Story is hitting only .206/.244/.303 over his first 176 plate appearances, translating to a brutal 47 wRC+. Between the lack of offense and subpar metrics (-1 Defensive Runs Saved, -2 Outs Above Average) regarding his work at shortstop, Story has been playing at below replacement level, with -0.4 fWAR to show for his 41 games.
Story had a .585 OPS over his first 232 PA in 2025 and then an .827 OPS in his final 422 PA, so it is certainly possible he can again rebound from another slow start. The Red Sox certainly hope Story has more to offer since he is only in the fifth guaranteed year of a six-year, $140MM free agent deal that has yet to deliver much in the way of results.
Andruw Monasterio, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, or Sogard (who is getting his first taste of MLB action this season) could all see some time at shortstop in Story’s absence. The Red Sox could also possibly move Marcelo Mayer from second base over to his original shortstop position, though Mayer has yet to play anywhere but the keystone this season.
Rays Place Jake Fraley On 10-Day IL, Recall Carson Williams
The Rays announced a trio of moves this morning, including the news that outfielder Jake Fraley has been placed (retroactive to May 16) on the 10-day injured list due to a hernia. Shortstop Carson Williams was called up from Triple-A Durham to take Fraley’s spot on the 26-man roster. Tampa also noted that right-hander Aaron Brooks has been outrighted to Triple-A after clearing waivers.
Fraley was scratched from yesterday’s lineup, and Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reported yesterday that the outfielder was headed for an IL stint (and that Williams was the likely replacement). It isn’t known yet how long Fraley could be out of action, though Topkin floated a six-week estimate depending on the severity of the hernia.
The Rays claimed Fraley off the Braves’ waiver wire last November, then cut him loose at the non-tender deadline only to quickly re-sign the outfielder to a one-year, $3MM contract a week later. The left-handed hitting Fraley has been used almost exclusively in platoon duty in right field, though he has yet to get going at the plate, hitting .232/.300/.390 over 90 plate appearances.
Jonny DeLuca and Ryan Vilade have each been used as the right-handed hitting complement within the right field platoon. Tampa Bay could give more playing time to either outfielder while Fraley is sidelined, or stick to a platoon structure by using Richie Palacios (a lefty bat) in right field rather than his usual second base spot. Topkin believes the latter scenario is more likely, as evidenced by the call-up of Williams to add to the Rays’ infield depth.
Heralded as one of baseball’s top prospects at the time of his MLB debut last season, Williams is still a fixture on top-100 rankings except further down the lists heading into the 2026 campaign. Between 32 games in 2025 and seven games this season, Williams has hit only .164/.209/.320 over 131 PA against big league pitching. His numbers at Triple-A have also not stood out — Williams has hit .216/.318/.433 with 28 homers over 607 PA for Durham.
Williams has struck out in 203 of those 607 trips to the plate in Triple-A, while also whiffing 53 times in his 131 PA in the Show. While Williams is still over a month shy of his 23rd birthday, the alarming amount of swing-and-miss in his game may have already dropped his stock as a potential Rays building block. Defensively, Williams has primarily played shortstop but he has logged a handful of games as a second and third baseman, so he could get some action at the keystone if Palacios is indeed ticketed for more time in right field.
Brooks was signed to a minor league contract in April, and he was selected to the Rays’ roster last weekend for what ended up being a brief tenure with the club. The righty’s one appearance resulted in an 81.00 ERA over a third of an inning of work, as Brooks allowed a walkoff grand slam to Daulton Varsho in Wednesday’s 5-3 loss to the Blue Jays.
Tampa Bay designated Brooks for assignment two days ago, and now that Brooks has cleared waivers, the ball is in his court about his future with the club. Because Brooks has been outrighted in the past, he can reject this latest outright assignment in favor of free agency.
The Opener: Sanchez, O’Hearn, Murakami
Happy birthday to Brayan Bello, as the Red Sox right-hander turns 27 years old today. His gift? A start against the Braves, who have the best record in baseball (31-15) and one of the league’s top offenses.
1. Sanchez is spotless
Cristopher Sanchez recorded a career-best 13 strikeouts while allowing only six hits (and zero walks) over the full nine innings in the Phillies’ 6-0 win over the Pirates on Saturday. The complete-game gem dropped Sanchez’s ERA down to 1.82 over 10 starts and 64 1/3 innings this season, and the southpaw also has a scoreless-inning streak of 29 2/3 frames. More excellent pitching could be on tap as the Phillies and Pirates conclude their series today, as Zack Wheeler is set to face off against Paul Skenes.
2. O’Hearn undergoes MRI
If the shutout loss wasn’t a bad enough outcome for the Pirates, Ryan O’Hearn also left the game after three innings due to what was described as right quad discomfort. O’Hearn underwent an MRI and more should be known about his status today. Signed to a two-year, $29MM free agent deal last offseason, O’Hearn has been a huge part of the resurgent Pittsburgh lineup, hitting .289/.368/.459 with seven homers over 182 plate appearances while chipping in at both first base and in right field.
3. Murakami’s two-homer game
Just when it seemed like Munetaka Murakami might be coming back to earth, the White Sox slugger went yard twice in yesterday’s 8-3 win over the Cubs. Murakami’s first multi-homer game as a big leaguer ended a six-game homer “drought,” and he is now up to 17 home runs and a .236/.376/.567 slash line over 194 PA. He’ll look to keep it going today when the White Sox try to win the series with their crosstown rivals, and Erick Fedde will get the start for the Pale Hose against the Wrigleyville Nine’s Colin Rea.
Astros Notes: Altuve, Brown, Hader
Astros second baseman Jose Altuve left tonight’s game against the Rangers with an apparent left side injury. Facing Cal Quantrill in the bottom of the eighth inning, Altuve grounded a ball to the left side but did not run to first, instead grabbing his left side and walking toward the dugout. The result was an easy double play. Altuve was later seen walking out of the dugout with the team’s trainer. Nick Allen replaced him at the keystone in the ninth inning.
Manager Joe Espada told Brian McTaggart of MLB.com and others that Altuve will undergo imaging tomorrow. It’s too early to say whether he’ll need time on the injured list, though it wouldn’t be a surprise to see a cautionary IL placement given Altuve’s age. He is now 36 and in his 16th season in the Majors. Altuve previously went on the IL in August 2023 with left oblique discomfort, missing three weeks. His two other left side-related IL placements were in April 2022 and May 2019. Both were for left hamstring strains.
Although he’s still a veteran leader for the Astros, Altuve is no longer the hitter he was at his peak. By wRC+, he was at least 24% better than the average hitter in every season from 2014-24, with the exception of the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Altuve slipped to a 113 wRC+ in 2025, which was still above average, just no longer All Star-worthy. The early returns in 2026 have been worse, with Altuve’s .245/.328/.365 line now being 3% below average.
That hardly makes him a bad player, but it does make him one of the weaker hitters in an otherwise strong offense. Yordan Alvarez is dominating with 14 home runs and a 190 wRC+. Christian Walker is having a resurgence after a poor introduction to Houston in 2025. Isaac Paredes is hitting well, and so was Carlos Correa before he underwent season-ending ankle surgery. In contrast, Altuve is the sole veteran of the group who is below league average at the plate.
Whether or not he needs to miss time, a healthy and productive Altuve will be crucial to the team’s performance this year. The Astros are at 19-28 including tonight’s victory, which leaves them in fourth place in the NL West. The biggest culprit for their poor start has been a slew of pitching injuries, with ace Hunter Brown, Christian Javier, and closer Josh Hader all currently on the shelf. Offseason signee Tatsuya Imai also missed time with right arm fatigue, and while he’s healthy now, he has a 9.24 ERA in four starts.
Returning to respectability will require the offense to remain a strength and the pitchers’ health and performance to improve dramatically. Fortunately, the starting rotation may be closer to getting a key reinforcement. Espada said that Brown is set to throw a final live batting practice on Tuesday (link via McTaggart). Assuming no issues there, he will begin a rehab assignment soon after.
Brown made two starts before landing on the IL on April 5th with a right shoulder strain. He was projected for a 5-7 week rehab period as of April 19th, and he was formally transferred to the 60-day IL on May 9th. That makes Brown eligible to return in early June, perhaps during the June 5-7 home series against the Athletics. He’d be in line for at least three rehab starts if Houston wants to bring him back as soon as possible, though they do have up to 30 days for Brown’s rehab assignment. Whatever the case, the Astros’ rotation will massively benefit from Brown’s return if he continues his performance from last year, when he had a 2.43 ERA and finished third in AL Cy Young voting.
As for Hader, he will need five more rehab appearances according to McTaggart. Hader started the year on the IL with left biceps tendinitis, transferring to the 60-day IL in mid-April. In 52 2/3 innings last year, he was his usual excellent self. Hader posted a 2.05 ERA and a 29.1% strikeout to walk differential that ranked fifth among qualified relievers. As with Brown, Hader is expected to return in early June according to the team’s injury report on MLB.com. That will go a long way toward boosting the Astros’ bullpen, whose 5.81 ERA is dead last in the Majors.
Photo courtesy of Erik Williams, Imagn Images